Acid Reflux and Your Throat

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Occasional heartburn or acid
reflux can happen to anyone. However, if you experience it two or more times a
week most weeks, you could be at risk for complications that may affect the
health of your throat. Learn about the complications of regular heartburn and
how you can protect your throat from damage.

What Is Acid Reflux?

During normal digestion, food
goes down the esophagus (the tube at the back of your throat) through a muscle
or valve known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), and into the stomach.
When you experience heartburn or acid reflux, the LES is relaxing or opening
when it shouldn't and allowing acid from the stomach to rise back up into the
esophagus.

Though most anyone may
experience heartburn once in awhile, those who have more severe cases may be
diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In these cases, it's
important to treat the condition to reduce painful and uncomfortable symptoms
and safeguard the esophagus and the throat.

How GERD May Damage the
Esophagus

That burning sensation you
feel with heartburn is stomach acid harming the lining of the esophagus. Over
time, repeated exposure of stomach acid to the lining of the esophagus can
cause a condition known as esophagitis.

Esophagitis is an
inflammation of the esophagus that makes it prone to injuries like erosions,
ulcers, and scar tissue. Symptoms of esophagitis may include pain, difficulty
swallowing, and more acid regurgitation. A doctor can diagnose this condition
with a combination of tests, including a biopsy or a barium x-ray.

Your doctor will likely begin
treatment immediately if you've been diagnosed with esophagitis, as an inflamed
esophagus can lead to more health complications.

Complications of Untreated GERD and Esophagitis

If GERD and esophagitis
symptoms aren’t brought under control, your stomach acid may continue to further
damage your esophagus. Over time, repeated damage might lead to the following
complications:

Narrowing of the
esophagus: this is called "esophageal stricture" and may be
caused by scar tissue resulting from GERD or tumors. You may experience
difficulty swallowing or food getting caught in your throat.

Esophageal rings: these are rings or folds of abnormal tissue that form in the
lower lining of the esophagus. These bands of tissue may constrict the
esophagus and cause trouble swallowing.

Barrett's esophagus: This is a condition in which the cells in the lining of the
esophagus are damaged from stomach acid and change to become similar to the
cells lining the small intestine. This is a rare condition and you may feel no
symptoms, but it can increase your risk of developing esophageal cancer.

All three of these
complications can be avoided with proper treatment for frequent heartburn or
GERD.

How Acid Reflux and GERD May
Damage the Throat

In addition to potentially
damaging the lower esophagus, frequent heartburn or GERD may also damage the upper
throat. This can occur if the stomach acid comes all the way up into the back
of the throat or nasal airway. This condition is often referred to as laryngopharyngeal
reflux (LPR).

LPR is also sometimes called
"silent reflux," because it doesn't always present symptoms that
people readily recognize. It's important for individuals with GERD to be
checked for LPR, to avoid any unknown throat or voice damage. Symptoms of LPR
may include the following:

hoarseness

chronic throat clearing

feeling of a "lump"
in the throat

chronic cough or cough that
wakes you from your sleep

choking episodes

trouble breathing

"rawness" in the
throat

postnasal drip

voice problems (particularly
in singers or voice professionals)

Preventing Future Damage

No matter if you have
frequent heartburn, GERD, LPR, or a combination of these, it’s important to
control your symptoms to avoid additional health problems. Talk to your doctor
and try the following lifestyle modifications:

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2011,
May 25). Barrett's Esophagus: Most often
a result of GERD–MayoClinic.com. Retrieved April 10, 2012, from
mayoclinic.com: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/barretts-esophagus/HQ00312